No, I'm not trying to be funny. Does anyone know of a ramp similar to a livestock chute being used to load/unload handicapped passengers on a tourist railway?

It seems to me that such a facility, if designed right, would look more "natural" than other options. Are there any plans or photos on the web for such a facility?
-Jim Herron

hrvideo@mindspring.com

It's not a livestock ramp, but Mid-Continent at one time had talked about using the ramp and platform for their freight house as a handicap loading area. I know they had it's slope checked and found out that it did meet ADA compliance. It was a natural looking alternative, unfortunately though, it was located on the opposite side of the yard from the depot, and inconvenient to use, so they bought a portable lift instead.

Boyd

ddg14@attbi.com

> No, I'm not trying to be funny. Does anyone
> know of a ramp similar to a livestock chute
> being used to load/unload handicapped
> passengers on a tourist railway?

> It seems to me that such a facility, if
> designed right, would look more
> "natural" than other options. Are
> there any plans or photos on the web for
> such a facility?
> -Jim Herron

Jim: I often thought that this was a logical way to do this. I even found photos where livestock ramps were located right next to small town depots! And then I found plans for a "portable" livestock ramp that was used to load livestock at places where a permanent pen was not located. BUT, we then were offered a modern wheelchair lift and modified our transfer caboose to accomodate it. It works well but I still think the livestock ramp/pen would be better and certainly more "natural." Hope you build it!

Les Beckman (Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum/North Judson, Indiana)

midlandblb@cs.com

Georgetown Loop RR boards all passengers - of all ablities - through ramps on the sides of cars which drop though gates in the platform fences which keep the riders off the track. It always reminded me of loading livestock - if some were slow, we could just use prods to enncourage them along.

Pitfalls of this system is that it makes spotting critical, and ramps have been known to have been torn off the cars if all aren't raised when a signal is given. Some passengers have a nasty habit of deciding to go back into the depot and opening the ramps after the brakeman has closed them and gone to another part of the train.

Dave

That sounds like a "milk platform" that was used here in the East. Basically, a raised platform at the end of the low-level platform to allow floor-level loading. SEPTA uses them extensively in their commuter area to meet ADA, but needs to use a small bridge from the platform to the car so the platform will clear freight cars.

Electric City Trolley Museum Association

We are a small museum, operating a 1 ½ mile long horse drawn narrow gauge line. Our demonstration railroad uses flatcars, with benches, and we have two ADA compliant ramps. At the front station, it is a wooden ramp, not unlike a livestock ramp, while at the rear station, it is railroad tie crib work, filled with dirt. Both have ADA compliant slopes and railings.

We load all passengers using these ramps. It makes it easy to handle strollers, and even the red wagons people bring to our site (We are located on a 200+ acre Historic Farm, with a historic house, farm animals, picnic grounds and lots of activities.) We have also loaded our combine at the ramp, though the baggage door. Finally, as a joke, we have loaded one of our draft horses onto one of the flats, using the ramp.

Randy Hees



http://spcrr.org
hees@ix.netcom.com

Randy,

I know what you mean; the last time I was at Ardenwood was the Pumpkin Festival last fall. There were so many people around that that I felt like a farm animal myself. But your horse powered ride is great fun!

Ted Miles

ted_miles@nps.gov

The St Louis and Iron Mountain railway has a simple but effective ramp. The link shows some special event pictures with the ramp in the background.

I'm not associated with that organization but have seen the ramp during visits. You may want to contact someone there to find out how well it works. I believe all passengers are loaded with it.

http://www.rosecity.net/trains/picture6.html
rrtp@onecliq.net